Eighteen months seems like a long time doesn’t it? But when you get to spend it with 24 of Oklahoma’s top agriculturalist who become your family it’s worth it. The Oklahoma Ag Leadership Program was not just a leadership class where you learn essential skills to become a better leader, it was a life changing adventure that allowed me to learn more about Oklahoma agriculture and meet some of the best friends I will ever have.
When I first began my journey with OALP, I did not know what to expect. I was the youngest of the bunch and had just a few years of the “real world” under my belt. But I was determined to make the best out of the program because I had heard so many wonderful things about it.
The program consisted of several seminars around the state, a trip to Washington D.C. and an international trip to beautiful Chile.
Seminar 1 (August 2018): Our first meeting was held in Stillwater, Oklahoma. We all arrived, and some of us knew each other, but we were mostly strangers as a whole. After a few icebreakers to get to know each other, I could tell we were going to be a close group by the end. We learned about the program and gained valuable leadership skills from speakers. We also volunteered at the Stillwater Methodist Church, serving a meal to those in need. However, we all became close when we had to work together at the ropes course at Camp Redlands.
Seminar 2 (September 2018): Southwest Oklahoma was next on the map, and we dove right into southwest agriculture. Cotton, a dairy, seed production, sweet potatoes and even a pumpkin patch were just some of the things we learned about. We also visited a canna farm where they grow, market and sell their own cannas. I really enjoyed learning about the dairy. Even in California, I had never stepped foot on one, so it was nice to learn about the milking and pasteurization process.
Seminar 3 (October 2018): We made our way to the Noble Research Center in Ardmore, Oklahoma next. We began with presentations about something we thought needed to be changed in agriculture and I chose the way farmers and ranchers market themselves on social media. I explained how we need to get older generations to use social media platforms and presented the benefits it could have on the agricultural industry. We then toured most of Noble’s amenities such as the green house, research facilities and the livestock facility. One interesting thing I learned was that the Boarbuster hog trap was created at Noble. As a group we watched a demonstration on how the trap works and how it will help decrease the ever-growing feral hog population in Oklahoma. We ended the trip by visiting and touring the steel and wire factory in Madill, Oklahoma.
Seminar 4 (December 2018): We gathered with our spouses on this trip. I was thankful Braden was able to take some time off the farm and meet my OALP family. We spent most of our time at American Farmers and Ranchers, learning about the history of AFR, communications in agriculture, the Farm Bill and how to properly talk during a media interview. I enjoyed meeting and learning about everyones’ spouses. We also volunteered at the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma and packed backpacks for students. I enjoyed informing my classmates about the pork for packs program and how okPORK helps with RFB every year. We ended the trip at the National Weather Center in Norman. We walked outside to see some weather vehicles and a Mesonet station. We toured the storm prediction center where they put out watches for storms. We also saw how they operate the center and how students learn and become meteorologists.
Seminar 5 (January 2019): The group loaded the bus in Stillwater for this trip to head to our first stop of the seminar: HANOR Family of Companies headquarters in Enid, Oklahoma. Jeff Mencke, director of Oklahoma operations at HANOR, greeted us and explained the operations of HANOR. We also visited a seed breeding operation and learned about seed technologies, a Cargill Protein Division in Kansas where we learned about sustainability and their agricultural focuses. We also visited and learned from an AgCredit agency and traveled to a John Deere training center.
Seminar 6 (March 2019): (Part 1) This time we boarded an airplane for a 10-day trip to Washington D.C. After we landed, we boarded a bus and headed for Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. We began the day at Gettysburg Heritage Center where we watched a short film about the Battle of Gettysburg and toured the museum. Next, we toured the battlefield at Gettysburg by bus. We stayed with host families for one night. My family raised and sold dairy bulls. They cooked amazing food and sent me back to the bus with lots of homemade goodies.
Next we drove to Hersey, Pennsylvania. This was probably my favorite visit of the whole trip. When we were told we were visiting Hersey school, I thought that was where they trained the employees of the chocolate factory. Boy was I wrong. Students in need attended the school and they lived with host families on the school property. We learned about all of the programs offered at the school, including the great agriculture program they have put together. The school gives those students a chance to turn their lives around. They are able to get jobs working on the farms, raise their own animals and even show them. We also learned about other ag programs they offer such as a store that sells the agricultural goods they produced, a green house and an animal facility where we got to visit and play with some of the goats. Of course, we visited the chocolate factory as well!
We also visited an Amish farm to round out our Pennsylvania tour where we learned about how a traditional farm operates.
Seminar 6 (March 2019): (Part 2) We were finally in Washington D.C.! We started off at USDA where we learned about the history of federal programs like (spell out acronyms) NRCS, EQUIP, and the CRP. After USDA, we headed to the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association to learn about the issues NCBA is working on including WOTUS, trade, tariffs and electronic logs in cattle. We then had an interesting visit at HSUS. We learned about HSUS and its mission. The group learned HSUS rejects the industrial model of raising livestock, wants to assist law enforcement in animal cruelty cases and is against concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). It was an interesting conversation and positive debate with HSUS representatives.
Next we visited U.S. Wheat Associates headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, where we learned about the lobbying efforts for US Wheat. Then we traveled to In-Q-Tel to learn about agroterrorism and technology in agriculture.
We made our way to Capitol Hill next where we got to meet with some of Oklahoma’s congressional delegation. Congressman Markwayne Mullin, Congressman Frank Lucas, and Senator James Lankford spoke to us about the Green New Deal and other issues they were focusing on to better Oklahoma agriculture. After meeting with the legislators, we toured the Capitol and sat in on some discussion in the galleries of the U.S. House and Senate Chambers. This experience was interesting. The bills that were being discussed were not of particular interest to the group, but the manner in which they were taking place was quite interesting. Later that evening, we gathered for a night tour of the monuments in D.C.
Mount Vernon, Virginia was next on the map. Our first stop was at the Gristmill and Distillery. Steve Bashore shared the history of the mill and how it was first started by George Washington’s grandfather. Steve demonstrated to us how the mill operated. The mill is powered by a waterwheel. They can produce either cornmeal or flour. We also visited the Distillery where they make some of the finest whiskey in the area. We then went to the Pioneer Farm to see how George Washington and his family lived more than 200 years ago. George Washington is most widely known as the first President of the U.S., but he wanted to be remembered as a visionary farmer. After touring the Pioneer Farm, we went through Washington’s Mansion. When the tour was over, we departed to our next stop: the Surratt House Museum, in Maryland, which is believed to be where John Wilkes Booth hid out after assassinating President Abraham Lincoln. We then went to Miller Farms, a true field-to-plate produce grocery store. The Miller family has grown and sold produce where they live for the last five generations.
Our last stop of the trip was Arlington National Cemetery. After getting our tickets, we headed over to watch the changing of the guard, followed by walking around to view the other areas and memorials, one area being the eternal flame and JFK memorial. I had only been to Washington D.C. one time before this trip and being able to see different parts of the agricultural industry representing themselves at our nation’s capitol was pretty inspiring.
Seminar 7 (April 2019): We began the day at the Oklahoma State Capitol where we were greeted by Tommy Thomas from the Oklahoma Legislative Consulting Group. He spoke about the challenges agricultural and rural Oklahoma face, and encouraged us to be advocates for our industry. We spent the morning hearing from several legislators. Lt. Governor Matt Pinnell shared his involvement in the Department of Commerce and Tourism in Oklahoma. Although not native to the agricultural industry, he emphasized agriculture’s importance in his role as lieutenant governor. Rep. Dell Kerbs, House Agricultural and Rural Development Chair, explained how his committee is comprised of rural and urban members, which can offer a strength in agricultural policy. Rep. Kerbs stressed the importance of getting youth involved in 4-H and FFA programs to ensure a positive future for agriculture. Next, Rep. Kevin Wallace, House Appropriations and Budget Chair, spoke to us about the process of the state budget and budget issues. Lastly, Sen. Casey Murdock, Senate Agricultural and Wildlife Committee Chair, said he always is looking after agricultural producers’ best interests in his role. Having served as both a member of the House of Representatives and the Senate, Sen. Murdock indicated House and Senate members must work together to solve agriculture-related issues. We then made our way to the Oklahoma Farm Bureau building where we enjoyed a yummy lunch and learned about water issues in Oklahoma. We also visited Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives where we learned about energy in the agricultural industry. We even got to drive a Tesla car. We also toured Blue & Gold Sausage, listened to Secretary of Agriculture Blayne Arthur’s OALP experience, learned about Ag in the Classroom programs at ODAFF and picked our own strawberries.
Seminar 8 (July 2019): Stillwater was back on the map for this session! But before we got into cowboy country, we stopped at Langston University. This was something I have always wanted to see. We learned about the agricultural involvement with the university and of course their nationally recognized goat program. I love hearing about how some Oklahoma agriculture is known from a national standpoint. We then reached Stillwater to visit the Oklahoma State University Soil, Water, and Forage Analytical Lab led by current OALP Class memeber Mrs. Kendall Henderson. She gave us a very detailed tour and explanation of what she and her staff do every day. I think we were all impressed that their lab performs an average of 60,000 samples every year for the producers and landowners of Oklahoma. We also visited the USDA Hydraulic Engineering Research Unit and volunteered at Turning Point Ranch.
Seminar 9 (August 2019): To the panhandle we went! This trip was all too familiar to me! Our seminar began at the High Plains Technology Center in Woodward, Oklahoma. The High Plains Technology Center is a career technology center serving seven school districts. We learned about wind energy before we made the trip to Guymon. We learned about cattle operations from Chris Hitch, visited a feedlot, learned about cattle operations in the panhandle, and of course toured the Seaboard Processing Plant. I loved explaining topics about the swine industry to my classmates.
Seminar 10 (October 2019): The Kiamichi Mountains was next on the map! I loved this seminar. It had been a few months since we were all together so reuniting with my OALP family was great. I had been down to broken bow several times with my family but had no idea about what the area had to offer from an agriculture perspective. I mean who knew Oklahoma was so big into forestry! We learned about the logging process as well as how trees are grown. Did you know it takes 30 years for a tree to become completely mature? We also visited a Tyson hatchery, Brinkley Auctions, sod farms and even the Mt. Olivet Cemetery where Lane Frost was buried.
Seminar 11 (November 2019): Back to my junior college stomping grounds. Northeastern Oklahoma was where I first called Oklahoma home. We began at the Port of Catoosa, learning about their facility, the businesses located at the port, their association with industry in Oklahoma, including production agriculture. Even though I spent two years in NE Oklahoma, I had no idea they had ports and so many dams. However, my favorite part was visiting J-M mushroom farms. We were able to see every aspect of mushroom growing from compost to packaged product. They produce 28 million pounds of mushrooms annually. We ate some yummy Amish food, went to a pecan farm learned about elderberries and aquaculture, and toured a Christmas tree farm!
Seminar 12 (January 2020): This was probably the most anticipated session. We learned all about our international trip destination, Chile! From packing to the language, we all felt more prepared for our trip. I, however, was on edge because this would be my first time leaving the country and flying over an ocean.
Seminar 13: The seminar we had all been waiting for! I will say the 10-hour flight was the worst part of the trip, but it was so worth it! I had no idea what to expect being in a different country for two weeks and was very glad I did my research beforehand! Our agenda was packed full every day and I learned so much about agriculture and Chile itself. Here are five of my favorite stops:
I would also like to thank Edmond Bonjour and Ron Hayes for taking notes and posting real-time social media updates on the entire trip.
Lo Valledor Fruit and Vegetable wholesale market: This was one of the first stops on our Chilean journey and boy was it neat! I have been to a few fruit and vegetable markets in my life when I lived in California, but never one this large! Lo Valledor is the largest wholesale market in Chile and if you saw it in person you could see they weren’t bluffing. This is their main market which covers more than 74 acres and is open 24 hours each day except Sunday (just like Oklahoma.) We saw booths from all around the country and customers from all around the area came to buy and sell fruit and vegetables from their farms. We got to try many different types of fruits and vegetables that were grown in Chile, including the country’s main fruit the Chirimoya. I even saw some of the largest corn I had ever seen in my short 26 years of life.
Ganadera California: We saw a lot of different livestock while we were in chile, including pigs! But we got an up close and wonderful encounter with a man named Ricardo Hevia. He is the owner and herdsman of Ganadera California, an angus cattle ranch he has owned since 1976. We got off the bus and I witnessed some of the most beautiful angus cattle I had ever seen. They all were perfect in their condition and had some pretty nice bull and heifer calves on their side. Not only did he have good livestock, but it was some of the nicest and highest quality pasture I had seen. It gave Oklahoma a run for its money! I personally enjoyed talking with him about his American bloodlines in his cattle. I was surprised to see that the angus cattle in Chile look a lot like the angus cattle we see at home! The only real difference is they want their processed beef to be heavier than the U.S.
Monkul Kewen Ko: To get to Monkul Kewen Ko we had to jump on a ferry and cross the river to catch a ride. We were told there was a volcanic sand beach so of course we all climbed the volcanic sand hill for a view of the Pacific Ocean. A cool fact I learned was how cold the water is in Chile because of how close the country was to Antarctica. After the trip up the sand hill we all got into the back of trucks and drove to Monkul Kewen Ko, a community that lies in the area of the Monkul River and Pacific Ocean. Of course, we enjoyed a hey served us a delicious lamb meal in a Raku, a thatched, hutch-like building. After dinner we enjoyed a tour of their wetland that they are developing the area into an ecotourism venue where you also learn about the culture of the native Mapuche people. It was a great experience to learn about a native Chilean tribe!
Criadero Los Alerces: Another place I was looking forward to from the monet we got our finalized schedule. This Chilean Rodeo Horse ranch has been around for more than 160 years. I also was amazed at how old the breed was itself (600 years.) but this horse breed has been in Chile for 600 years. The size and look of the horses reminded me of a Peruvian Paso horse since they were only about 13 hands tall and had a curved shape to their head. We learned about the training and breeding of the horses and even got to see some of the mares and stallions that can value up to $100,000. My favorite part was seeing the horses in action. A typical Chilean rodeo consists of two horses “pinning” a steer on a rubber like surface. We also witnessed what a Chilean relay barrel race looked like.
Andes Mountains: This was one of our last stops on the entire trip and it might have been my favorite. Out of all the hikes and walks we took, this one had the best views! I have never seen such crystal-clear water. We walked along the shore of Emerald Lake and watched boats take people over into Argentina. The pictures speak for itself. It was beautiful and a wonderful way to end a two-week trip.
Even though the trip was long, it was so worth it. I learned so much about agriculture and I want to travel the world and learn even more.
OALP allowed me to explore Oklahoma agriculture in a way I had never thought of. This California girl thought she knew enough, but boy was I wrong. After every seminar I could not wait to come back into the office to share all the new things I had learned on the trips. One word that describes the program is lifechanging and if I could do it all over again I would in a heartbeat.
